Apparatus for practicing the game of golf and the like



Feb. 24, 1925.

. F. J. TIPPEN ET AL APPARATUS FOR PRACTICING THE GAME OF GOLF ANDI'I'HELIKE Filed May 21, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 24, 1925. 1,527,716 F. J. TIPPEN ET AL APPARATUS FOR PRACTIECING THE GAME OF GOLF AND THE LIKE Filed May 21, 1923 2 Sheets-Shee'r. 2

Patented $14, 92:.

J-QIUNITED s Tas- [1,527,716 PA-TsNT OFFICE.

mm: J. mrnn AND HUGE kl rnossna, or nmiamcnm,nnenmn, assrcnons ot-mamnrmrus am-mamas cum our com m was 1.1m.

' Application many: 21,

be a full, clear, and exact description of the This invention relates to apparatus for practicing golf and like games and the obect of the invention is to provlde a s mple and. inexpensive apparatus for restrammg the flight of a golf ball so as to enable practice strokes to be made ina relatlvely confined space such as the garden of a dwelling house, and for returning the ball automatically to its original posltion, thereby enabling successive practice strokes to be made without the necessity of replacing the ball by hand.

Apparatus according to the present lnvention comprises a ball adapted to rest on or above a base member and secured by an elastic or other flexible member adapted to be placed in tension by movement of the ball. It is preferred that when the ball is at rest on or above the base, the elastic or other flexible member shall be under some comparatively slight initial tension, and

when the ball is struck this-tension is con-' siderably increased so that the ball .18 brought back automatically to' a definlte position.

lit is also preferred to employ a base member of hollow construction so that it may form a housing for the elastic or flexible member and any apparatus associated therewith.

It is also preferred to interpose between the to of the base member and the ball, a sleevee tee upon which the ball is adapted to rest, this tee preferably being made of a material such as rubber so that shown.

'1028'. Serial 110.8%,421.

Figure 3 is modification.

Figure 4 is a sectional perspective view showmg a further modification.

Figure 5 is a sectional view in side elevation showing a modifiedfor'm of the apparatus. v

In the, construction illustrated in Figures a sectional view showing a 1 and 2, the apparatus comprises a suitable ball 1 which may either be an ordinary golf ball or may be a specially constructed ball of gutta-percha, vulcanized rubber, wood or the like and to this ball is attached an elastic member 2. The elastic member- 2 may be made of' india rubber or other elastic material such as s. ring steel suitably coiled and it is provided with an enlarged head 3 which fits into a shouldered hole 4 in the ball 1. Adjacent the ball, the member 2 is preferably of increased diameter as of the tube 5 in the ground. Within thelower part of the tube 5 is provided a pulley 8 around which passes the elastic member. 2. The pulley 8 is not essential and is provided for the purpose of obtaining a greater length of elastic material. If re uired the length of the member 2 may be still further increased by providing one or more additional pulleys and extending the member 2 to passaround same. There may be one or more pulleys at either end of the tube or housing 5. Y Y

lihe end 9 of the elastic cord 2 is passed through a comparatively narrow slot 10 in the upper end of the tube 5, the sides of the slot gripping the elastic member so that it will not pull out.

At the top of the tube 5 is provided a flange 11 whlch screws into the tube. It required the screwed portion of the flange 11 may be extended so as to nip the end 9 of the flexible member 2. The. upper surface of this flange is of general convex form whilst the mouth of the hole through its centre' is flattened or rounded ofi to glve a good lead for the flexible member 2 which passes therethrough.

Interposed between the flange 11 and the rue ball 1 is a sleeve-liketee or distance tube 12" if required be covered with a rubber-covering member 13 as shown in Figu re 3. i In Figure 4is shown a clip 14 for securing the end 9 of the elastic member 2. If-reuired instead of securing the end of the e astic 9 in the manner. shown in Figures 2 or 4,the end 9; may be passed around thel is member 20 exterior of'the tube and the extreme end may be tucked under the encircling band..

is elastic or capable of'expansion andco'ntraction by virtue of its own elastic 'properties, we ma, "em by an inelastic. flexible (he .igure 5) the innerendof which, is wound upon 'a spring 1 controlled drum 21' mounted on the'fixed spindle 23, so vthat if the ball is moved, the memberi -w1ll be automatically'placed in tension by the spring 22. and the 'flexible'inemb er ao'aute;

maticallyrewindin itselfon the drum 2l,. will bring the hall trek to its-original jpos1- 1 tion. "The spring 22 has one-end hired to the spindle 23 and the other end fixed to v the hollow drumfi'l. I

The drum 21 is mounted in an 'upper' lindricalt ca'sing-- i 2 :whichiis secured toatubularspike 25fhaving 'ointed 1 end12 6 which is S milar to'the'mem er 7 shown Figure 2; I

;. The u per are tii casin a i is reirided 'with a ange'd cover25hav1ng an opening Y 26' therethrough for-theflexible member 20.

' The flexible member 20 is anchored to the I trolled drum."

.ball land an intermediate. sleeve like tee '12 is provided similar to the tee shown in I-Figure 2. The other end of {the flexible member 202 is anchored to -..$P 1 In usethe tubef'or 'casin gure'2. Practhe player should develop the habit of conis returnedto its original position. Bythisl means the common faults of moving the I head or taking the eye ofi the'ballwjustbe f. .fore the stroke can be permanently cured.x In (practice the ball makesonly-a short fl ght;

an quickly returns to its original positionJ-g membr with-the anchorage forthe end, spaced anquently chore-around which the flexible member is During the stroke the teeisoficourse, frecally returned to the position sh Figure 2. p

What we claim'then -i ber connected at one end to the ball and anf eanne soft material so as to reduce the risk g is pushedfinto the ground until ,the flange isslightly below --g'round level as shown in Fi tice strokes may-then be'made at the-ball and games comprising disturbed but thisfalso' is automati f golf or like chored' at its opposite end to the base member, and a tee the per end of the base member.

'1 2. Xpparatus for practicinggolf or like games comprising a ball; a hollow base memeri substantially the; .Whole of which is adapted to be thrust into the ground; a flexible'member connected. at one end to the fball, anchored at the other end to the base 'member and being-normall ,enclosed in said base member; said flexible ember constituting means acting upon the ball to draw it "back to thebase after it has been struck; and a teelocated between the ball and the upper Instead of employing a member 2 which n of hebase member. I p

Apparatus for practicing golf or like substantially the whole of which is adapted Ito be thrust intoth'e ground; [an elastic flexible member. connected at one'end to the ball, anchored at theother end to'the base ;:men1 ber and maintained'i'n an initialstate of tension to hold "the ball correctly positioned on theibase member; said flexible-member constituting nieansacting 'upon the ball to draw it back to the. base after it has been struck; and'a tee located between the ball games comprisingxa-flball; .a hollowvbase member substantially the wholeofwhich is ocatedb etweenthe ball and ,rgames comprising a'. ball;"a member adapted to beitlirust' intothe ground; an

elastic flexible member normally enclosed in said base member,'-connected atone end to the ball,' 'anchored at"the"other*end to the basemember and maintainedfinan initial state of tensionto hold theballcorrectly positioned 'onthe base; said-flexible member constituting means acting upon the ball to .draW'itback to the base. after' ithas been struck; and a tee located between the ball and the upper end of theflbasemember.

positeend to the base member; said flex- "iblememb'er constituting means acting upon the halltodraw-dt backto the base after it ;;'has been struck-fand 'a pulley mounted for rot'ationin thelower partl' of the basememher, said pulley-engaging the elastic flexible etween--.1ts ends and providing passed as to. increase its efiective length. 6. Apparatus for practicing .golf or' ike "games comprising a. ball i a tubular base .member "adapted 'to v 5 thrust into the ground, "a flange forming af'partial: closure 5, Apparatus for practicing golf or like 4 a ball; a hollow. base.

for the topof said tube,-{said flange having a hole-jtherethrough, a. sleeve like tee intermediate the.basc and the and to support the ball, an elastic flexible memberv connected at one end to the ball, passing within the base member and being anchored at its opposite end to the base member, said flexible member constituting means acting upon the ball to draw it back to the base after it has been struck; and a pulley mounted for rotation in the lower part of the base member, 'said pulley engaging the elastic flexible member between its ends and providing with the anchorage for the end, spaced anchors. around which the flexible member is passed so as to increase its etfectivelength.

8. Apparatus for practicing golf or like games comprising a ball; a flexible member connected at one end to the ball, constituting means acting upon the ball to return it after it has been struck; a hollow base member substantially the whole of which is adapted to be thrust into the ground, said base member having a slot in its upper part forming an anchorage for the end of the flexible member; and a pulley mounted for rotation in the lower part of the base member, said pulley engaging the elastic flexible member between its ends and providing with the anchorage for the end, spaced anchors around which the flexible member is passed so as to increase its efl'ective length.

9. Apparatus for practicing golf or like games comprising a ball; a flexible member connected at one end to the ball, constitut ing means acting upon the ball to return it after it has been struck; a hollow base member substantially the whole of which is adapted to be thrust into the ground, said base member having a slot in its upper part forming an anchorage for the end of the flexible member; an external clip on the base engaging with the free end of the flexible member; and a pulley mounted for rotation in the lower part of the base member, said pulley engaging the elastic flexible member between its ends and providing with the anchorage for the end, spaced anchors around which the flexible member is passed so as to increase its effective length.

10. Apparatus for practicing golf or like games comprising a ball, a tubular base member adapted to be thrust intmthe ground, a flange forming a partial closure for the top of said tube, said flange having a hole therethrough, a cover on said flange, a sleeve like tee intermediate the base and the ball and serving to support the ball, and a flexible member connected to the ball, passing through the tee and having its other end associated with the base, said flexible member constituting means acting upon the ball to draw it back to the base after it has been struck.

11. Apparatus for practicing golf or like games comprising a ball, a tubular base member adapted to thrust into the ground, a spike at the lower end of said base, and a flexible member connected to the ball and associated with the base member, said flexible member constituting means acting upon the ball to draw it back to the base after it has been struck.

12. Apparatus for practicing golf or like games comprisng a ball, a tubular base member adapted to be thrust into the ground, a spike at the lower end of said base, a flange forming a partial closure for the top of said tube, said flange having a hole therethrough, a sleeve like tee intermediate the base and the ball and serving to support the ball, an elastic flexible member connected at one end to the ball and passing vithin the base means for anchoring the en of said flexible member to the base, said flexible member constituting means acting upon the ball to draw it back to the base after it has been struck and a pulley mounted for rotation in the lower part of the base member, said pulley engaging the elastic flexible member between its ends and providing with the anchorage for the end, spaced anchors around which the flexible member is passed so as to increase its effective length.

In witness wherof we afiix or signatures.

F. J. TIPPEN. H. K. PROSSER. 

